We will develop course curricula and associated multimedia course software that will introduce a diverse group of students, including students of engineering and science, music, social sciences, and the humanities to the technology of digital signals, communications and signal processing in the context of "Digital Signal Technology in Music". There will be two courses developed jointly by the Investigators, one to be offered within the Electrical Engineering Department and the other by the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester. The courses are intended to attract and retain students to the study of engineering and to introduce other non-technical students to the important and widespread technology of digital signals and systems. The two courses will share a common core curriculum encompassing about 75% of the course lecture material and both courses will rely heavily on laboratory and studio experiences for the students. The difference between the two courses will be that the laboratory of the engineering course will be designed for the students to manipulate and explore the technology at a fundamental level, while the practical aspect of the music course will be oriented toward projects utilizing the technology discussed in the lectures. The other major activity in this project is the development of interactive multimedia courseware that will be designed to productively be used by students at many levels - from high school to advanced undergraduate engineering students and it will be distributed via computer network to interested parties.
